Formal employment in the steel industry in Mexico increased 0.7 percent in January, year-over-year, totaling 141,510 workers. Nuevo León and Jalisco stood out for registering new historical records in the contraction of workers. In contrast, Coahuila also stood out for the dismissal of more than 1,100 workers, according to SteelOrbis' analysis of official data.
The positive trend in hiring began in April 2021, which until January 2024 has accumulated 34 consecutive months of increase.
With companies such as Ternium, Ladesa; the unit in Mexico of Signode Industrial Group, and the Mexican AB Tube (Maquilacero) and Zincacero of Grupo Villacero, among others, Nuevo León remains the state with the highest hiring levels. January also saw the state’s highest number of new jobs in general with 724 for a total of 29,041 people.
The state that generated the second-highest number of jobs in January was Jalisco, generating 701 new workers compared to the same month in 2023, for a new total of 7,902 workers. Guanajuato was ranked as the third entity with the highest job creation, with 408 for a new total of 11,768 people.
In contrast, Coahuila, the main headquarters of Altos Hornos de México (AHMSA), paralyzed by insolvency since the beginning of last year, lost 1,119 formal workers, going from 20,662 in January 2023 to 18,828 workers in the first month of 2024. The state contributes 13.3 percent of total national employment.
The other two states with the largest personnel cuts were Baja California (629 to reach 6,295 people) and Tamaulipas (lost 252 workers to reach a total of 3,310 people).
Of the 32 states, employment increased in 20 and now concentrate 71.1 percent with 100,684 workers. In the remaining 12, 40,826 people work (28.9 percent of the total).
The information corresponds to the Basic Metals Industry, which has accumulated 34 consecutive months with annual growth, according to the records of the social security institute (IMSS), reviewed by SteelOrbis.
According to official data, the Basic Metals Industry is made up of five industries: 1) Basic iron and steel industry, 2) Manufacturing of iron and steel products, 3) Basic aluminum industry, 4) Non-ferrous metal industries (copper and precious metals) and 5) Casting molding of metal parts.
In January, the industry contributed 2.35 percent of total manufacturing employment (6.02 million workers) and 0.64 percent of total formal employment in Mexico, which totaled 22.13 million workers.